I Change My Mind

"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus."
Philippians 2:5

     I have become a Negative Nancy. The older I get, the more I am like Crankshaft! I grouse about the state of our country. I slander whole races rather than seeing the worth of the individual. I gripe about television commercials. I'm an old grump! When and how did this happen? How can I gain the mind of Christ?

     I set out to implore God to change my mind and I have no doubt that He will. After all, he "knows the thoughts of man" (Psalm 94:11) and he is never against self-improvement. It gives him the glory he so deserves when people want to become more like him.

     My prayer is for wisdom. Lord, show me to adopt the attitude of Jesus.

     Here's a start I found in scripture: put myself aside. "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves." (Philippians 2:3) Be interested in others. Take on the very nature of a servant. Humble myself. Be obedient to God's will. Die to self.

     I am reading a memoir written by Vinh Chung entitled Where The Wind Leads. He says:

"There is no greater love than to give one's life for a friend, but giving one's life does not always mean dying- sometimes it means living. Living can be a sacrifice, too, and a noble one, especially when it's done to benefit someone else. Dying might require more love, but living takes a lot more endurance."

 

     There are many little ways each day that I can "die to self" - call a friend, let someone go ahead of me in line, put a newspaper on the porch for a neighbor, send flowers anonymously, pay a compliment, visit an elderly person, mail a card of encouragement, practice hospitality, commit random acts of kindness. 

 

     Do not complain or argue. Work out my salvation with fear and trembling, being confident that He who began a good work in me will carry it on to completion. God, you are the Potter; I am the clay. "Mold me and make me after thy will, while I am waiting, yielded and still."

 

     Romans 8:6 says, "The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace."  Therefore, may the Spirit help me to think about these things, as spoken of in Philippians chapter four: Whatever is noble, true, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy. Ferret out the good stuff, dig for treasure. Seek and I shall find, knock and the door shall be opened unto me. Work at it with all my heart because it is the Lord Jesus I am serving. Let my conversation be always full of grace. (Colossians 4:6)

 

     If you notice you have become a Negative Nancy like me, you don't have to settle for that. Change your mind! It's a woman's perogative, after all.